Christian Living

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Once upon a time, a small girl called Anna wrote a prayer.
She wrote it in the careful, inky hand of the learning child. The prayer read:
Dear God,
I want all the Mommies and Daddies in the world to be happy. Amen.
Anna then carefully taped her prayer to the refrigerator, where there was another little prayer that said ‘Lord, Bless this house!’ Beneath that, there was a magnetic memo that read “Mother’s Sow the Seeds of Love!” Anna surveyed her prayer proudly. She didn’t tell anyone about it. Mom was outside in the garden, so she knew she’d be busy for a while! Anna wanted to wait for her father to get home and surprise him. Anna’s father was a pastor at the local church; she knew he would like her prayer.
Well, dinner time came and Anna’s dad came home. He and Anna’s mom saw the little prayer on the fridge. They told little Anna how proud of her they were for writing such a prayer.
“Do you know that this prayer has the potential to be one of the biggest prayers in the whole wide world?” exclaimed Anna’s dad.
“Why?” asked Anna.
“Because if all the Mommies and Daddies in the world were happy, then that would mean that all their children were safe and warm and healthy and loved.”
“Just like me?” asked Anna.
Anna’s father smiled.
“Just like you,” he said, quietly. “But you know Anna,” continued Anna’s father, “Not all children are lucky like you. Some are born with bad diseases, some are born without a family to love them and look after them. Some are born in war-zones,” he said, sombrely.
“I know that,” replied Anna, her little face still and serious for a moment. “That’s why I wrote my prayer. God will listen,” she said earnestly, “and it may take a lot of time and lot more praying, but we’ll get there. When I grow up, so many people will have prayed my prayer, that the world really will be a much better place for children and then all the Mommies and the Daddies of the world will be happy – you’ll see.”
That was 35 years ago today.
Lord, if you’re listening right now (and I know you are!), I want to tell you a little story about Anna and her prayer. Do you remember that piece of paper taped all crooked to the refrigerator? The one beneath ‘Lord, Bless this house!’? That was my prayer. You were with me then and you’re with me now and we’re still prayin’ it together. You said it would be a big journey, and I believed you. Thank-you for being with me every step along the path, as I keep praying for every family, for every mom and dad, for every beloved child in your universe. I’m praying for your world, and I won’t give up. Amen.

Laura Swindon-Ross ©2013

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